WHAT DOES ANDY GALPIN SAY ABOUT RECOVERY?

THE SHORT ANSWER

Ask Galpin what recovery actually is and he reframes it on the spot: it isn't the absence of training, it's the active process that turns the training you've already done into adaptation. That distinction matters most for masters riders, because the recovery window really does get longer with age and the cost of ignoring it gets steeper. His warning is precise — cut your sleep, stack life stress, and under-eat protein, and you're running a body that can't bank what you're spending on the bike. The fix isn't softer training. It's treating sleep, food and the gap between hard days as part of the session, not an optional extra. Get the recovery side right and the same training that was digging you into a hole starts producing the gains it was supposed to.

WHO IS ANDY GALPIN?

In his Roadman interview, Galpin answers whether a cyclist over 40 can make progress after years away from strength training. He distinguishes learning an unfamiliar exercise from improving cycling performance, and discusses the recovery demands of existing riding. His contribution helps readers ask more precise questions about their own programme.

GALPIN ON RECOVERY

Galpin’s key positions on recovery.

• →Being over 40 does not close the opportunity to improve strength and power.
• →Define the outcome: strength, muscle growth and cycling performance are different targets.
• →An unfamiliar exercise can improve through learning; transfer to cycling needs its own assessment.
• →Consider riding volume, sleep and energy availability when deciding what strength work fits.

IN GALPIN’S OWN WORDS

Verbatim from Andy Galpin’s appearances on the podcast.

HEAR IT ON THE PODCAST

Episodes where Andy Galpin covers recovery and related ground.

FREQUENTLY ASKED